C. Tensions among the populations of northern and southern states increased.
The Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was a controversial law that required citizens to assist in the capture of runaway slaves and imposed harsh penalties on those who aided escaped slaves. This law heightened tensions between northern and southern states over the issue of slavery, as many northerners opposed the law and its enforcement. The law was seen as a significant violation of personal liberties and contributed to the growing conflict between pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions in the United States. As a result, tensions between the populations of northern and southern states increased in the years leading up to the Civil War.